This aircraft will allow us to provide critical cargo lift on short and medium-haul routes that have been impacted by the reduction of passenger flights. The converted cabin, which can accommodate a cargo volume of 1,150 cubic feet is perfectly suited to loose load cargo like medical supplies, PPE and other goods needed to support the ongoing fight against COVID-19.

– Tim Strauss, Vice-President Air Canada Cargo

The conversion is enabled by a Service Bulletin and conversion kit from De Havilland. Seats are removed from the cabin and replaced with cargo netting installed into the seat tracks. The adjustable nets are allocated with specific limits to ensure that floor loading and aircraft weight & balance needs are respected.

Details on the Dash 8-400 cargo layout from De Havilland

Each of 17 cargo locations in the main cabin can accommodate up to 750 pounds and 33 cubic feet of gear. Add in the aft storage already available in the aircraft and a forward closet and the total capacity hits 18,000 pounds and 1,150 cubic feet.

We will work with Jazz to quickly put their Dash 8-400 Simplified Package Freighters into service and look forward to supplying this solution to other Dash 8-400 aircraft operators around the world to assist in the re-deployment of their fleets to meet the growing demand for airlift of essential supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

– Todd Young, Chief Operating Officer, De Havilland Canada

This is not the first time a Dash 8-400 has converted to a cargo operation. When it was still manufactured by Bombardier a “combi” version of the type was offered to the market. That design split seats and cargo with a divider, however, and was not available as a conversion from existing aircraft. It was also a permanent configuration. This option is a quick conversion for the existing fleet, far more in demand these days given the shift in market owing to COVID-19.

While the Service Bulletin conversion option is functional Lufthansa Technik aims to provide a Supplemental Type Certificate approach that should be more efficient on the regulatory side of the conversions. “We are working to have the complete technical documentation and certification available within a short time so that our airline customers can use the STC. The conversion itself should then be possible within a few days,” explains Henning Jochmann, Senior Director Aircraft Modification Base Maintenance at Lufthansa Technik. “The airlines can thus react quickly to changing needs while keeping costs low.”

*While the industry typically uses the term “belly” for cargo space on passenger planes the Q400 layout allocates that space at the rear of the fuselage, not beneath the passenger cabin. But calling it “butt cargo” isn’t as polite, so we’re skipping that.

About Seth Miller

Seth Miller has over a decade of experience covering the airline industry. With a strong focus on passenger experience, Seth also has deep knowledge of inflight connectivity and loyalty programs. He is widely respected as an unbiased commentator on the aviation industry.

He is frequently consulted on innovations in passenger experience by airlines and technology providers.